Northern Songs

Northern Songs Ltd was a British music-publishing company created in 1963 by publisher Dick James, Beatles manager Brian Epstein, and Beatles songwriters John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Its central purpose was to publish and administer Lennon and McCartney's compositions, which became some of the most commercially important songs in popular music. The company also handled material by George Harrison during the early part of his career and by Ringo Starr for a shorter period, while its American publishing interests were represented through Maclen Music. The company emerged after George Martin expressed dissatisfaction with the promotion given to the Beatles' early songs by EMI's Ardmore & Beechwood publishing operation. Martin directed Epstein toward Dick James, who quickly demonstrated his ability to secure exposure for the Beatles' material. On 22 February 1963, James proposed creating a dedicated publishing company with Epstein, Lennon and McCartney. The resulting ownership arrangement gave Lennon and McCartney 20 percent each, Epstein 10 percent, and James and his business partner Charles Silver the remaining 50 percent. Lennon and McCartney later acknowledged that they signed the relevant agreements without fully reading them because they trusted Epstein's business judgment. Northern Songs' revenues were connected to Lenmac Enterprises, a company owned by Lennon and McCartney and their management interests, although the structure collected profits from the United Kingdom publishing business. In 1965, the company was converted into a public company. The flotation was heavily oversubscribed, reflecting the rapidly increasing value of Beatles compositions. Lennon and McCartney each retained a substantial minority interest, while James and Silver remained the largest individual shareholders. The public-company structure was also intended to reduce the participants' income-tax burden. Relations between the Beatles and James deteriorated after Epstein's death in August 1967. Lennon and McCartney attempted to renegotiate their publishing arrangements, but the dispute became increasingly hostile. In March 1969, James and Silver sold their controlling interest to Associated Television without giving Lennon and McCartney an opportunity to match the transaction. ATV's chairman Lew Grade had greater financial resources, and Lennon and McCartney failed in their attempt to obtain control of Northern Songs. A subsequent effort associated with Apple Corps and Allen Klein also collapsed. Lennon and McCartney eventually sold their Northern Songs shares to ATV in October 1969. Harrison had already allowed his Northern Songs agreement to expire and had established Harrisongs, while Starr retained a small holding for a time. ATV thereby obtained control of a catalogue containing the Beatles' publishing rights, although Lennon and McCartney remained contractually committed to delivering songs to Northern Songs until 1973. Northern Songs later became part of ATV Music. After ATV's corporate parent experienced financial difficulties, the catalogue attracted interest from numerous music and entertainment companies. Australian businessman Robert Holmes à Court acquired control of ATV's parent company, and ATV Music was eventually placed on the market. In 1985, Michael Jackson purchased ATV Music after a competitive process. The acquisition included the Northern Songs catalogue, apart from the rights to "Penny Lane," which were separately gifted to Holmes à Court's daughter. In 1995, Jackson merged ATV Music with Sony's publishing operation to create Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Northern Songs ceased to exist as a separate company at that point. The catalogue subsequently became part of the wider Sony Music Publishing business. Northern Songs is therefore remembered less as a continuing consumer-facing brand than as a pivotal corporate vehicle in the ownership history of the Beatles' songwriting catalogue and in the development of modern music-publishing finance.

Northern Songs was founded in 1963 after George Martin encouraged Brian Epstein to find a more effective publisher for the Beatles' songs. Epstein approached Dick James, who quickly arranged television exposure for "Please Please Me" and gained Epstein's confidence. James then proposed a publishing company owned by James and Charles Silver alongside Epstein, Lennon and McCartney. Lennon and McCartney each received a 20 percent interest, Epstein received 10 percent, and James and Silver held half of the company. George Martin was offered an interest but declined because of his relationship with EMI. The company was organized to publish Lennon and McCartney's compositions, but its catalogue also included early work by George Harrison and material by Ringo Starr. Its American publishing interests were linked to Maclen Music, while Dick James Music administered Northern Songs and related operations. Revenues were routed through Lenmac Enterprises, an entity associated with Lennon and McCartney and their management arrangements. Northern Songs became a public company in 1965. The flotation was designed partly as a tax-planning measure and attracted strong investor demand. Lennon and McCartney renewed their publishing contracts, and Harrison also signed with Northern Songs for a limited period. By the middle of the 1960s, dozens of Lennon–McCartney songs had been recorded and released, with thousands of cover versions demonstrating the catalogue's international value. The death of Brian Epstein in August 1967 destabilized the Beatles' management arrangements. Lennon and McCartney became dissatisfied with their publishing deal and sought revised terms from James. Their relationship with the publisher worsened after a filmed meeting at Apple Records in 1968. Harrison's publishing relationship ended in 1968, after which his compositions were handled by Harrisongs; Starr likewise established Startling Music for his own songs. In March 1969, James and Silver sold their Northern Songs shares to Associated Television, controlled by Lew Grade. Lennon and McCartney were not given advance notice and attempted to acquire a controlling interest. Their bid failed because ATV had greater financial resources and because negotiations with other shareholders broke down. Allen Klein attempted to arrange an Apple Corps purchase of ATV's interest, but the proposal was abandoned after legal and managerial objections. Lennon and McCartney sold their own shares to ATV in October 1969, while Starr retained a small holding and Harrison had already disposed of his. The Northern Songs catalogue remained within ATV Music as the corporate group changed. Financial difficulties at ATV's parent company led to renewed interest in selling the music division. Robert Holmes à Court gained control of the parent company, and ATV Music was later offered for sale. In 1985, Michael Jackson acquired ATV Music after negotiations involving competing bidders. The rights to "Penny Lane" were excluded and transferred separately to Holmes à Court's daughter. Jackson's acquisition made the Beatles catalogue a landmark example of the strategic value of music publishing. In 1995, ATV Music was merged with Sony's publishing business to create Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Northern Songs was dissolved as an independent company. Jackson's estate later sold its remaining interest to Sony in 2016; the company was renamed Sony Music Publishing in 2021. The Northern Songs name consequently survives primarily as a historical reference to the original publishing company and to the chain of ownership surrounding the Lennon–McCartney catalogue.

• 1995

  Northern Songs is dissolved

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  ATV Music merges with Sony's publishing business to form Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

• 1985

  ATV Music is sold to Michael Jackson

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  Jackson acquires ATV Music and the Northern Songs catalogue, excluding the separately transferred "Penny Lane" rights.

• 1969

  ATV obtains control

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  Associated Television purchases James and Silver's controlling interest; Lennon and McCartney fail to regain control.

• 1967

  Death of Brian Epstein

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  Epstein's death contributes to worsening relations between Lennon, McCartney and Dick James over publishing control.

• 1965

  Public flotation

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  Northern Songs becomes a public company, with shares offered on the London Stock Exchange.

• 1963

  Northern Songs is founded

  [1]Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org

  Dick James, Brian Epstein, John Lennon and Paul McCartney establish Northern Songs to publish Lennon–McCartney compositions.

A specialist music-publishing company built around the commercial exploitation and administration of high-value popular-song copyrights.

• Music publishing catalogue · 1963

  Lennon–McCartney catalogue

  Northern Songs' principal asset was the publishing catalogue of songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The company administered rights, collected royalties and licensed compositions for recordings and other uses. The catalogue became exceptionally valuable because Beatles songs generated repeated recordings, performances and international exploitation across multiple markets.

• Music publishing catalogue · 1965

  Early George Harrison compositions

  Northern Songs published George Harrison's early compositions during the period covered by his agreement. After that relationship ended in 1968, Harrison's songs were handled through his own publishing company, Harrisongs Ltd.

• Music publishing catalogue · 1963

  Ringo Starr compositions

  The company also published some of Ringo Starr's compositions before Starr established Startling Music in 1968. These works formed a smaller part of Northern Songs' wider Beatles-related catalogue.

• 1995

  Merge ATV Music with Sony publishingM&A

  Background

  Michael Jackson and Sony combined their respective publishing interests in a joint venture.

  Action taken

  ATV Music was merged with Sony's publishing operation to form Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

  Aftermath

  Northern Songs was dissolved as a separate company and its catalogue continued under the successor publishing business.

  Source

• 1985

  Sell ATV Music to Michael JacksonM&A

  Background

  ATV Music attracted competing bids because of the commercial importance of its publishing catalogue, including Northern Songs.

  Action taken

  Robert Holmes à Court accepted Michael Jackson's offer after negotiations involving other bidders.

  Aftermath

  Jackson became the owner of ATV Music and later combined it with Sony's publishing operation.

  Acquisition price. £24.4 million (August 1985)

  Source

• 1969

  Sell controlling interest to Associated TelevisionM&A

  Background

  Relations between Dick James and Lennon and McCartney had deteriorated, and James and Charles Silver decided to sell their shares.

  Action taken

  James and Silver sold their controlling interest in Northern Songs to Associated Television without prior notice to Lennon and McCartney.

  Aftermath

  Lennon and McCartney's attempt to gain control failed, and they later sold their own shares to ATV.

  Sale price for James and Silver's shares. £1,525,000 (March 1969)

  Source

• 1965

  Convert Northern Songs into a public companyStrategy

  Background

  The owners sought a structure that could support the company's expanding catalogue and reduce the income-tax burden on the participants.

  Action taken

  Northern Songs issued shares publicly on the London Stock Exchange.

  Aftermath

  The offering was heavily oversubscribed, and the company continued as a listed publishing enterprise until ATV obtained control.

  Source

1. 1Northern Songsen.wikipedia.org